The Voice
by scottsman
Summary: Murdoch is visit by a disembodied voice that warns him that a recent accident death is in fact murder. now Murdoch must conduct and investigation among rumors that he's cracking up. what will Julia think?
1. Chapter 1

Inspector Murdoch filed the last of the papers that had cluttered up his desk for most of the afternoon and breathed a sigh of relief. As stepped out of his office and was crossing the room to the front door when he noticed Constable Crabtree at his desk hunting feverishly for something.

"What are you searching for, George," he asked. A smile toyed at the corners of the inspector's mouth as he already suspected what George was looking for.

"I'm looking for my pencil," replied the young Constable, "I had it a moment ago."

"George," said Murdoch quietly, "Check behind your right ear." Crabtree reached for his right ear and the look on his face changed from consternation to sheepishness as he found the missing pencil tucked firmly behind his ear where he had put it only a minute before.

"How stupid of me," said Crabtree.

"George," said Murdoch, "It's late and your shift is already over file those papers and go home."

That day had been a slower day than usual so Murdoch, and anyone else who could, had spent it tackling the mountain of paperwork that most of them had on their desks. Murdoch was almost out the door when he realized that he wasn't wearing his hat. Turning around he hurried back to his office. When he walked into this office he found the object in question sitting on his desk where he had left it. As he picked it up he noticed papers on his desk.

"_That's odd,"_ he thought, "_I could have sworn that I filed them all." _The papers were from the file on the death of one Jeffery Moorhead. The young man was a university student that had been found dead after apparently becoming intoxicated and falling from the school's bell tower during some sort of hazing stunt at a student party. The whole affair had been tragic to say the least. Moorhead's younger sister Katie was devastated.

The parents of the young man were due to arrive tomorrow to claim the body of their son. Dismissing the presence of the papers to the fact that his hat was sitting on top of them, he moved to put them back in the file cabinet.

Suddenly the silence was broken by a throaty chuckle. Murdoch whirled around but the office was empty.

"Show yourself," said Murdoch, "If this is some sort of jest it is not amusing."

"Oh it's no joke Detective," said a deep disembodied voice, "and you need have no fear of me, you are in no danger."

Murdoch looked in first one direction and then the other. The voice sounded like it was right here in the room with him but the room was empty.

"Don't bother trying to see me, Detective," said the Voice, "I am quite invisible to your eyes. It would behoove you detective to reopen the Moorhead case. "

"Why," said Murdoch, "Moorhead's death was a tragic accident?"

"Tragic, yes, Accident, No," said the Voice, "Jeffery Moorhead was murdered!"

"How do you know that?" said Murdoch,

"Check Moorhead's Medical history and you'll discover what I did, Detective," Replied the voice,

"until then, I bid good evening, Detective."

"Who are you?!" said Murdoch, "What are you?!"

"Only a passing Shadow," replied the voice. The voice gave a throaty laugh that seemed to reverberate all over the room and then he was gone.

The next morning found Murdoch telling his story to an incredulous Brackenreid.

"That's the entire story," said Murdoch, "Just the way that it happened." Brackenreid shook his head.

"Are you daft, Murdoch?" he said, "Do you expect me to let you reopen this case just because some spook told that it was murder and not an accident?"

Murdoch was about to answer when Dr. Ogden came hurrying in.

"William," she said, "Would you come with me please! I think you're going to want to see what I found." Murdoch and Brackenreid followed her down to the autopsy room. The corpse of young Jeffery Moorhead was on the table."

"Oh I see," said Brackenreid getting hot under the collar again, "You two were just going to do it anyway well let me tell you_!"

"Oh will you dry up you big blowhard!" snapped Dr. Ogden, "you sound like a fog horn with a broken valve!"

Murdoch stifled the urge to burst out laughing. Dr. Ogden was the only person other than Brackenreid's wife that would dare talk to him like that. And she didn't give him a chance to recover from her snarky comment she simply forged ahead.

"I think you may change your mind about all this when I tell you what I've discovered," she said, "In his medical history it states that he almost died when he was eight years old."

"So he almost died when he was eight," snapped Brackenreid, "What's that got to do with_,"

"If you will kindly stop interrupting I will tell you," said Dr. Ogden, "Now as I was saying, it was at a family Christmas party, his uncle was a little tipsy from drinking too much brandy and he spilled some on Jeffery who promptly had a violent allergic reaction. It was discovered that the boy was allergic to all forms of alcohol including cleaning alcohol. If it even touched his skin his throat would close up."

"If he was allergic to alcohol he wouldn't have been drinking at that party," said Murdoch, "Which means that he didn't fall off the roof because he was drunk. Therefore if he wasn't drunk what was he doing on that roof?"

"Maybe the boy took his own life," said Brackenreid

"No," said Murdoch, "the boy smelled of alcohol when he was found and there were fragments of a bottle near where he fell, which means that somebody dumped alcohol on him to make it look like an accident not knowing about the boy's allergy."

"Well Murdoch," said Brackenreid, "It seems your spook was right, this boy was murdered. You've got your investigation get on it."

Dr. Ogden looked at Murdoch.

"Spook?" she asked quirking an eyebrow.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Julia" replied Murdoch

"Try me," she said as she washed her hands. Murdoch took a deep breath and proceeded to tell her the whole story of his midnight encounter with an apparent disembodied voice. Julia didn't accuse of being daft but he couldn't tell if she actually believed his story or not.

A few minutes later…

Murdoch stood in his office looking at the bottle fragments. He and Constable Crabtree had begun the painstaking task of piecing them together. Most high end liquors came in their own distinctive bottles. Knowing the brand of liquor might help them and it might not, but at this point they didn't have much to lose.

After a better than an hour of work on their monumental task the stopped to take a break.

"Sir," said Crabtree, "What makes you so sure that it wasn't a ghost?"

"Because of something the voice said," Replied Murdoch, "He said 'I'm quite invisible to your eyes' that leads me to believe he was there in the room with me I simply couldn't see him."

"But how could a human being be invisible?" Asked Crabtree

"Now there my certainty stops," Replied Murdoch, "I'm not sure that the voice was human!"

TO BE CONTINUED…

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	2. Chapter 2

Inspector Murdoch and Constable Crabtree stood looking at the reassembled pieces of glass from the Moorhead crime scene.

"Sir," said Crabtree, "That's not a liquor bottle that is a chemist's flask."

"I can see that, George," said Murdoch

"Why would someone keep Liquor in something like this?" asked Crabtree

"Well the first answer that I can think of is that they wanted to conceal the fact that the liquid in the flask was in fact liquor. As you know George liquor of any kind is prohibited on the University Campus."

"You don't think that Moorhead was killed because he caught someone on the Campus with contraband Liquor?!" exclaimed Crabtree

"No I doubt it," said Murdoch, "it seems highly unlikely that a student would resort to murder when the worst punishment for violating of the liquor ban is a three day academic suspension."

"I guess you right." Said Crabtree

"Still," continued Murdoch, "the university is the place to start. Go and talk to the Dean of the science department and find out where the school gets its chemistry supplies."

Crabtree nodded and headed out the door snagging his hat off his desk as he passed by. Murdoch decided to pay a visit to autopsy and see if Dr. Ogden had learned anything from the corpse of the deceased.

When he reached the doorway that lead to the corners office he found that Moorhead's parents were already there raising a fuss because they couldn't have the body of their son yet.

Jonah Moorhead the father was very nearly shouting at Dr. Ogden While his wife was holding a Handkerchief over her eyes and sobbing and their daughter Katie wavered between grief for her brother and fear of what her father might do. Dr. Ogden didn't seem to be able to get a word in edgewise. As Moorhead's voice increased in volume, Murdoch thought it prudent to intervene before the irate Mr. Moorhead started yelling Obscenities at Dr. Ogden, or worse tried to get physical with her.

"Mr. Moorhead!" Thundered Murdoch in an uncharacteristically loud voice, "Kindly restrain yourself, sir." Momentarily startled by the detective's verbal explosion Jonah Moorhead stopped his tirade.

"Who in blazes are you?" he snapped

"I am Inspector William Murdoch, sir," Replied Murdoch inserting himself between the elder Moorhead and Dr. Ogden, "And if you will stop shouting and sit down I will explain what is going on here and why there will be a delay in the release of your son's body.

Murdoch motioned to a small nearby waiting area in a manner that was more of a command instead of a request.

When the Moorhead's were seated and Murdoch was convinced that the elder Moorhead was properly subdued he began to explain the situation.

"We have uncovered evidence that suggests that your son's death was not an accident but was in fact murder." Said Murdoch

"Murdered," exclaimed Jonah Moorhead, "Are you certain?!"

"Quite, certain," said Murdoch, "so your son's case has been reopened as a murder investigation therefore all the available evidence including your son's remains must be re-examined in this new light. I assure however that as soon as this is complete your son's body will be released to you."

"Of course, Of Course," said Mr. Moorhead he looked at Dr. Ogden

"If only you had told me, Doctor." He said. Dr. Ogden folded her arms across her chest and glared and the man.

"I tried." She said in a quiet but accusatory voice.

"Please go back to your hotel and wait, we will keep you informed." Said Murdoch the Moorhead's rose and started to leave. Murdoch stepped in front of Mr. Moorhead.

"Sir," he said in a tone of voice that was calm yet threatening, "I realize that the scene that just took place in the hallway when I arrived was partially the result of your grief and anger over the death of your son, and while you have my sincerest sympathy and condolences I feel I must warn you that if you ever raise your voice to Dr. Ogden like that again I shall be forced to take out that back door and soundly thrash you. Now if you would be so kind as to leave."

The Moorhead's left without another word. After they had gone Murdoch turned around and saw Dr. Ogden looking rather impressed. Clearing his throat nervously he stepped passed her into the Autopsy room.

"Did you find out anything," he said attempting to change Dr. Ogden's train of thought as fast as he possibly could.

"Oh yes," she said, "As I suspected there were no traces of liquor in his stomach or anywhere else in his system. That seems to confirm the information in the medical history. Also the clothes he was wearing had traces of a chemical that I haven't yet identified."

"Let me know when you learn anything else," said Murdoch, then he turned and walked toward the door.

"William," said Dr. Ogden.

He stopped and turned around.

"Yes, Doctor," he said.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue in the hallway just now." she said with a coy smile, "I never knew that you had that much bravado in you!" Murdoch's face softened and one of his rare boyish smiles appeared briefly on his face.

"It was nothing," he said

Dr. Ogden smile widened and she cocked her head to one side.

"Why William," she said, "Are you blushing?!"

"It's the room," said Murdoch Nervously, "it's rather warm." With that he beat a hasty retreat.

Dr. Ogden turned back to her work with a smile that was even wider than before if possible. By the time Murdoch made it back to his office the redness in his cheeks was pretty much gone and Constable Crabtree had returned from his errand.

"That was fast, George," he said as the Constable followed him into his office.

"Sir," I didn't get as far as the university but I did spot something that I think might be of use," said Crabtree.

"Well, out with it," Said Murdoch motioning for him to continue.

"I was taking a short cut through the warehouse district, when I spotted on of the know wino's carry one of those flasks of liquor so I shadowed him and he lead me straight to the Bilge Rat that seedy bar down on the wharf where all of the, shall we say less reputable, sailors hang out. I looked through the window and I saw a bunch of those flasks on the shelves behind the bar. They were selling them there!"

"Well, Done, George." Said Murdoch, "I believe I will go there myself and ask a few questions."

Grabbing their hats, Murdoch and Crabtree stepped out of Murdoch's office.

"Hey Murdoch," Sneered one of the rookie officers, "did your spoke give another lead or did you look in your crystal ball?!"

Crabtree started for the young man but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Let it go, George." Said Murdoch

Ten minutes later…

Murdoch and Crabtree arrived at the Bilge Rat. The place certainly lived up to his name. the floor was dirty and damp and the windows didn't look like they had been washed in weeks.

When they walked in everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and stared at them. George Crabtree began to get a very uneasy feeling.

Murdoch flashed his badge at the bartender.

"From where and from whom did you get the liquor that is those flask containers on your shelf?" he asked calmly

The rough characters that filled the place rose and began to advance on the two police officers.

"Back off," said Crabtree only to get savagely backhanded with a table leg. Crabtree bounced off the bar hit the floor and lay there unconscious.

The instant Crabtree hit the ground another man grabbed Murdoch from behind and held has the one with the table leg advanced again.

"Go on, Hecky," some of the men hollered egging him on, "Show him what we think of cops!"

As the man drew back his arm to strike, it was caught by some unseen force and twisted back hard causing him to drop the chair leg. In the next instant he was knocked to the floor as if he had been punched by and invisible fist. As soon as he hit the floor the invisible force grabbed him by the ankle and swung him around hard enough to sling him over the bar and into the shelf and wall behind it shattering it and the bar mirror. The force of the impact was enough to knock out the would-be tough guy. As soon as he hit the floor there was a deep throaty laugh.

The laugh echoed and reverberated all over the room chilling the very bones of the superstitious sailors and taking the fight out of them.

"Release him," snapped the voice. The thug holding Detective Murdoch immediately released him and retreated to the other side of the room.

"Murdoch," said the Voice, "Get Crabtree we're leaving now."

"The bartender has not answered my question." Said Murdoch as he lifted the young constable threw him over his shoulder in the fireman's carry.

"He can't tell you what he doesn't know," Replied the Voice, "The Payments for and Delivery off the liquor is done through and anonymously hired third party."

Murdoch with the still unconscious over his shoulder Crabtree backed out of the bar room and didn't draw an easy breath until he was outside again.

"Murdoch," said the Voice, "To find the next piece of this puzzle take a closer look at the Moorhead family!"

With a throaty chuckle the voice was gone. And Murdoch was once more alone with his thoughts. A few seconds later Crabtree began to awaken. As soon as he was back on his feet they continued on their way back to headquarters. As they walked Murdoch paused to adjust his coat and that's when he realized there was something in one of the pockets that hadn't been there before. He pulled it out and looked at it. it was a photo of Katie Moorehead. The words of the voice ran through his head again.

"to find the next piece of this puzzle take a closer look at the Moorhead family."

TO BE CONTINUED…

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	3. Chapter 3

It was mid morning of the next day and Murdoch stood in the parlor of the Moorhead's hotel suite. It was generally known that the Moorhead family was a fairly well to do family the father having made his fortune in oil. He had been informed that Mr. and Mrs. Moorhead had gone out to speak with an undertaker about final arrangement, so he found himself waiting for them to return. As he replayed his first encounter with them in his mind, this time he concentrated on what he could remember of the young woman Katie Moorhead.

She appeared to be between 18 and 21. She had long dark hair and dark eyes and as pretty as she was Murdoch was certain he could have her choice of the eligible young men in the town. Now as to her mannerisms she was clearly grief stricken over the death of her brother, but there was more, he remember there was something about the look in her eyes when he had revealed that her brother had been murdered.

He was thinking about these things when he noticed what he assumed was a family picture that one of them had left on the table by the arm chair. Picking it up, he saw that it was a picture of Katie arm in arm with a young man. Presumably the young man was her beau. He was about to put the picture down again when he notice that the young man was wearing a jacket with the emblem of the same university that the deceased had attended.

A split second later Katie herself entered room evidently looking for something, she stopped short when she saw the detective.

"Hello Inspector Murdoch," she said quickly regaining her composure.

"Miss," said Murdoch nodding politely.

"Is there some new development in my brother's case?!" she asked

"Nothing definite," said Murdoch, "I just wanted to ask if you or your family knew of anyone that would have had a reason to harm your brother?"

"No-not that I can think up," the young Woman replied. As she said this Murdoch noticed that she was shifting nervously on her feet and Murdoch noticed that she kept glancing nervously at the picture in his hand.

"Is there something you would like to tell me, Miss," said Murdoch, he held out the picture to her, "Perhaps about the young man in this picture. It noticed he attended the university with your brother.

Katie gave a sigh that was a combination of resignation and relief.

"Your right," said Katie motioning Murdoch to sit in the chair opposite her, "his name is Garrett Stevens he didn't merely attend the same university as my brother they were classmates that's how I met him. About a week before my brother died I was here in town and Garrett and I went to a party put on by some of his friends.

"I don't think my brother approved of me going out with Garrett, and I think they locked horns about it, but I can't believe that he had anything to do with my brother's death."

"I certainly hope that you're right," said Murdoch, "I thank you for your candor. It seems that your parents have been delayed. I'll see them another time. Please tell them that I stopped by."

With that he stood, nodded to her and walked out closing the door behind him. he had notice that while was talking to him she had seemed not only nervous but physically weaken as though the effort of conversation had taken her strength out of her.

When Constable Crabtree got back to the office Murdoch was standing there in front of his blackboard. The blackboard was half full of Murdoch's notes on the case and he was reading them again for the umpteenth time. Inspector Brackenreid had broken another filling, and another toothache and was in a foul mood. Most of the younger officers decided to go on some extra patrols to avoid him as much as possible. The advantage was the office was relatively quiet which was a pleasant change for Murdoch. He prided himself on his even tempered disposition but all the jokes about Crystal balls and his "Pet" Spook were beginning to rub him the wrong way. The worst part was that Dr. Ogden was acting unsure of him too.

"I have yet to connect all the pieces, George, all I've found is a name for the suspect list, Garrett Stevens." Said Murdock as Crabtree entered the room.

"Garrett Stevens," Said Crabtree, "I ran across that name at the university. I went over there first thing this morning to talk to the dean like I was supposed to in the first place. I was there most of the morning."

"And," said Murdoch motioning him to continue.

"They get there supplies from the Ajax Chemical Supply company. They work out of that big building down on Front Street."

"Forget get about the chemistry supplies for the moment what was this about Garrett Stevens," said Murdoch with a wave of his hand.

"Well according to what I overheard about two hours before Moorhead died this Stevens character and the Deceased came to blows in the gymnasium."

"No doubt a fight over the fact that Stevens was courting Moorhead's sister," said Murdoch, "Miss Moorhead herself told me that she and this man were involved and her brother didn't approve."

"Well that, could be," said Crabtree, "When the Coach separated them Moorhead yelled 'I'll get you for what you did to my sister'!"

"interesting indeed," said Murdoch, "I believe I should talk to Miss Moorhead again." Just then Doctor Ogden entered the room.

"William," she said, "I thought that you'd be interested to know I finally identified that strange chemical. It was Alpha-Pinene."

"I've never heard of that chemical," said Crabtree

Before Dr. Ogden could answer. There was a deep throaty chuckle. Crabtree's got as big around and frying pans and Dr. Ogden jumped. She looked almost wildly at Murdoch who calmly sat down in his chair. He was now far more calm than he had been the first time the voice spoke. And he was secret glad that it was happening now. at least from this point on he wouldn't have to worry about his best friends thinking that he was losing it.

"Most people wouldn't have heard of it, Constable," said the voice, "It's one of the base chemicals in C10H16 better known as turpentine."

"William," said Julia, "I can hardly believe it, I hear a voice but I can't see anyone!" Murdoch nodded.

"It's the same for me, Julia," he said

"Um, Mr. Voice, sir," said Crabtree.

"Yes, Constable Crabtree," replied the voice gently but with a hint of amusement in his tone.

"Who are you? Just what are you?" said Crabtree echoing the first questions that Murdoch had asked

"Who I am and what I am is not important, Constable," said the Voice taking on a more authoritative tone, "What matters is making sure that a murderer doesn't escape."

"Inspector," said the Voice becoming commanding again, "The next step that you need to take is to go back and talk to Miss Katie Moorhead again, this time ask her not only about Garret Stevens but also how she came to be suffering from damaged Kidneys."

Murdoch and the others looked at each other.

"You were there when I talked to Miss Moorhead?!" said Murdoch

"I'm never far away, Detective," replied the Voice, "I've been accompanying you on every step of your investigation. Remember what I told you."

"I'll do as you suggest," said Murdoch

"Very well" said the voice, "I bid all of you farwell."

With a throaty chuckle the voice was gone!"

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